How to Navigate Office Politics – Part Two
In the second part of this article, we look at more ways you can safely navigate office politics and come out unscathed.
In order to properly plot a course through the murky waters of office politics, you have to know the people you work with. Try to understand your manager, your colleagues and your office rivals well. So that in times of crisis, you will be able to predict their moves. That foresight will better prepare you for any changes to come and help you work out action plans and counter-strategies. Be sensitive. Observe people’s routines and habits. Learn to read their mood and body language. Get to know about their backgrounds through small chats. This is not spying – it’s trying to acquaint yourself with your surroundings, knowing which people are your threats and whom you can trust. You could, of course, argue that this is giving in to the basic tenets of office politics, but it’s not. Doing this, quietly and in a non-invasive way, is a simple act of self-preservation that could help you immeasurably in times of crisis.
Don’t let jealousy get the better of you. This is a sleeping giant. A really important habit of getting into is to play your long game (more on that later) – focus on your career, not that of others. In almost every work environment, the least gracious people are the most unsuccessful. You must learn to appreciate and acknowledge other’s success. That can be tough for highly competitive people but be generous – others will notice. We mentioned this in Part One of this blog, but there is nothing more appealing than the genuine support of colleagues. These moments can change the nature of relationships for the better. It also sends a signal that you are above any petty jealousies.
And don’t get drawn in. This is good advice. Especially if the issue is being created by those that you delegate work to. Don’t listen to long explanations of why someone is behaving in a certain way or why tasks have not been completed; instead, try to cut through all the political baggage and simplify the problem. If necessary, employ new ground rules for everyone to follow or halt the project temporarily while the problem is resolved.
Similarly, if two people who work under you are experiencing conflict that is not work-related, it’s important to defuse the situation as soon as possible and not side with either of the parties involved. Remain empathetic to your colleagues but be sure to not give them any ammunition to drag you into their problem – your words can easily be twisted in the workplace, and you’ll soon find yourself stuck in the middle of a feud that wasn’t your own to begin with.
Ultimately, don’t let office politics distract you from the long game. The goal of your long game should revolve around three things. Firstly, take every opportunity to build and maintain relationships across the business. Secondly, expose yourself to a variety of environments both within and outside your place of work (through volunteering, for instance). This will provide you with a greater capacity to work alongside people who face different issues and challenges in their respective roles. Last of all, make it your business to position yourself as the person who will help conclude a difficult project, step in to assist when disagreements arise or provide a positive perspective when others are no longer capable of doing so. By focusing on these three long game objectives, your context and judgment will continue to improve, and you will further insulate yourself from petty office politics.
Employ these strategies, and you should be fine in terms of navigating office politics. Most of the time, office politics will impact your career over time. You will likely have the opportunity to put your skills to work, build a strong foundation and do well. From a workplace politics perspective, doing well is not only about getting ahead but also about self-defence. You can’t stay neutral for long. The game will force you to play. Not reacting does not mean that you don’t play. It just means that you have chosen to remain passive in a game in which others invest massive amounts of energy and time.
